Art walk event coordinator shares thanks

To the editor:

Fairfield 1st Fridays Art Walk is grateful to everyone who participated in Art Walk?s 10 year anniversary and ?Bark in the Park? themed Art Walk. We had an exceptional turnout on the square and a ?doggone? fun good time!

A HUGE thank you goes to our August Event Sponsor, US Cellular on the square. As a means of showing community support and introducing themselves to Fairfield, US Cellular generously chose to sponsor the August Bark in the Park and 10 year anniversary Art Walk. Their contribution to Art Walk has and will allow us to bring to Fairfield the creative fun and magic that our city has become accustomed to on Art Walk nights. We are very lucky to live in such a creative and fun town!

Attendees enjoyed the fabulous lineup of talented musicians: Heather Miller, Crystal City and Arthur Lee Land.

This August marked the beginning of the 10 year anniversary for Art Walk. It?s hard to believe that this great event has been in existence for a decade, with 120 events that took place continuously on the first Friday of every month for 10 years. It?s hard to imagine what Fairfield would be like without these fun monthly happenings to attend and there are many people to thank for the creation, organization and continuation of these events. Over the years there have been dozens of Art Walk board members who have worked tirelessly to support the arts and creativity in our town. There has also been many employed staff of Art Walk who have ensured that the ?Show? went on and these events continued. Two people of exceptional dedication and passion for Art Walk should be singled out and acknowledged: founder Stacey Hurlin and past Art Walk Board President Holly Moore. Both ladies have gone above and beyond any expectations that their roles demanded and it is because of their vision and passion that Art Walk has become the success and inspiration to the community that it is today. Thank you ladies for sharing your vision with our community!

Following with the celebration of our 10 year anniversary, attendees of last Friday enjoyed a free horse drawn carriage ride, touring not only the completion of the 1st phase of the Maze of Murals project but other fine public art installations around the Fairfield town square.

During this Art Walk we had a slide show of photos from past Art Walks. We are grateful to photographer Werner Elmker who provided all the images, Kyle Hoff who organized the show, Matt Johnson, Jeremy Houg, Charles Brader and Jason Strong who provided technical support to make sure the everything went smoothly and Hawthorne Direct who provided most of the equipment for the slide show.

We also want to share our gratitude to all the volunteers that came to help and support Art Walk last Friday. A big thank you goes to the following people: Dawn Safrit, Janet Mullen, Jane Greiner, Wende Smythe James and Hunter Ridgefield, Lucy Wymer, Katie Box, Lynn Wright, Darin Hayne, Tom Paton, Sheryl Bergren, Kayla Wald, Marilyn Todt, Will Steingraber, Heidi Ferguson, Brandon, Wava and David, Julie Stephens, Barb Delany, Rick Sarhat, and the group of teenage boys that we commandeered last minute to haul road barricades.

Last but not least, Fairfield 1st Fridays Art Walk wants to thank the community as a whole for attending this Art Walk and all other Art Walk events. Without your community support, Art Walk would not be what it is.

? Dania De Bortoli, executive director and event coordinator for Fairfield 1st Fridays Art Walk